Science on ZME Science

Scientists might have cured "bubble boy disease" with gene therapy

A rare genetic disorder that deactivates the immune system of baby boys may have been cured.

New research takes a look into how superstitions develop and enshrine themselves

They're cultural cheat-sheets.

AI developed to tackle physics problems is really good at summarizing research papers

"Researchers have developed a new representation process on the rotational unit of RUM, a recurrent memory that can be used to solve a broad spectrum of the neural revolution in natural language processing." A machine wrote those words.

Even mountain glaciers are now contaminated with microplastic

Truly, no place on Earth has escaped pollution.

Two newly-discovered Egyptian tombs look almost as fresh as the day they were painted

Jewels in the desert.

After a 300% surge in global cases, WHO and UNICEF directors say we're facing a 'measles crisis'

The moral of the story, kids, is get vaccinated.

Russian researchers extract liquid blood from frozen 42,000-year-old foal -- plan to clone it

You want Jurassic Park? Because this is how you get Jurassic Park.

The world's first AI-written textbook showcases what machine learning can do -- and what it can't

The technology could have a surprising use.

Dogs really help people stay fit, new study shows

As if dogs weren't precious enough, they also help with our fitness -- new research shows that dog owners are 400% more likely to meet recommended physical activity guidelines.

Astronomers finally find the earliest molecule in the Universe

The breakthrough validates our current models of how the universe works.

Japanese university professor taught students how to produce MDMA, risks up to 10 years in prison

Japanese Breaking Bad? Not really -- this time it's about science, not profit.

Women can spot unfaithful men by looking at their faces, but men can't do the same in women

It seems like women have a better poker face than men.

Air pollution from corn kills thousands of people each year

Researchers are trying to map the pollution impact of all the foods we eat.

New species of duck-billed dinosaur discovered in the Gobi Desert

"We hope that it will be very useful material for further study of the evolution of hadrosauroids, iguanodintians and ornithopods as well," the authors write.

Scientists treat first US patients with gene-edited cells

The powerful CRISPR is set to revolutionize medicine.

Scientists create artificial material capable of metabolism, self-assembly, movement, and organization -- key traits of life

If it was capable of multiplying, it would essentially be life.

Cherokee cave inscriptions tell tales of ritual ball game

Researchers have translated the famous Cherokee inscriptions from Manitou Cave — but it’s not the story they were expecting to see.

NASA female astronaut set to break record

Congrats, and good luck!

Two of the world's oldest universities team up to digitize treasured medieval manuscripts

Some works will come straight from the Vatican.

Alien-world-hunting satellite finds its first Earth-sized planet

Researchers had hoped that at least 300 of them would be the size of our home planet. Well, they found one.

NASA research says ground-based global warming measurements are sound

"Both data sets demonstrate the earth's surface has been warming globally over this period, and that 2016, 2017, and 2015 have been the warmest years in the instrumental record," the authors explain.

Archaeologists find first prehistoric figurative cave art in the Balkans

It's the first find of its kind in the area.

This new approach to spotting incoming asteroids should keep our planet safe

"With the [new method] we can spot objects regardless of their surface color, and use it to measure their sizes and other surface properties," said the researchers.

Beards make men look more angry and aggressive, but also more prosocial

It all depends on the facial expression, which beards seem to amplify.

Rodents race around cage in NASA microgravity experiment

That looks like a lot of fun!

Indicators of despair on the rise for Gen X-ers entering middle age, paper reports

"The increase in despair that occurs across the 30s is generalized to the entire cohort, regardless of race, ethnicity, education, and geography," the authors write.

It's official: there's more plastic in the oceans than ever before

Researchers are calling for change on all levels of society.

Notre Dame's 3D virtual reconstruction offers hope for the cathedral's full restoration

Over $350mil in funding and an intricate digital reconstruction means Notre Dame could be hastly restored.

Sleep myths are unscientific and potentially dangerous

If there's one thing we should appreciate, it's sleep -- and myths proliferated on the internet aren't doing anyone any favors.

World's largest aircraft flies for the first time

The huge aircraft is designed to send rockets to a high enough altitude from where they can then power themselves into space.

Game of Thrones inbreeding: odds are stacked against Jon and Dany having a healthy baby

Let's just say that famous Habsburg jaw isn't ruled out.

The kill rate in Game of Thrones is actually quite realistic, a new study reveals

Don't blame George Martin or HBO for killing your favorite character -- blame reality!

How the snailfish survives more than 6 km beneath the surface

This could help us understand how creatures can survive in the crushing and frigid depths of the oceans.

First reliable evidence for 'social acceleration' comes from our shorter collective attention spans

Uuu, shiny.

Meteorite impacts are squeezing water from the moon

The moon has a hydrological cycle, but it looks nothing like the one on Earth.

Microplatics can also travel by wind, new study shows

Even pristine mountainous landscapes are now polluted with microplastics.

Taking short breaks to reinforce memories is key to learning new skills or re-learning old ones

The secret to success is to take a short break, often.

Britain's earliest farmers were immigrants from Greece and Spain

The farmers did not interbreed with local foragers.

Deep methane lakes revealed on Titan

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, hosts liquid hydrocarbon lakes and seas on its surface. During the last close encounter with Titan, the Cassini mission offered an unprecedented view of these methane lakes. Writing in two separate papers, researchers report that some of these lakes are more than 100 metres deep and have been fed by methane […]